Sokaogon Chippewa Community News

Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest Seeking Members for Resource Advisory Committees

Officials of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest are seeking applications to fill multiple positions on a federal Resource Advisory Committee.
“The Forest is seeking a diverse representation of applicants to serve as members on the Northern Wisconsin Resource Advisory Committee,” said Paul Strong, Forest Supervisor on the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. “RAC’s are a great way for interested community members to engage in a public lands dialogue and recommend natural resource improvement projects on the national forest funded by the Secure Rural Schools Act.”
The Chequamegon-Nicolet has been approved to merge the Chequamegon RAC and Nicolet RAC into the Northern Wisconsin Secure Rural Schools RAC. Combining the two RACs creates administrative efficiencies for the Forest Service and also reduces the amount of public participation required for the RACs from 30 members for the two to 15 for just one; there are also alternates for each category above and beyond the required number of members.
The Forest has also submitted a request for a waiver to reduce the number of members required for the combined RAC from 15 to nine members. If the waiver is approved, it reduces the number of members needed to be present for a meeting quorum to review and approve projects.
Resource Advisory Committees are established as a provision of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act, which was recently reauthorized as part of the 2019 appropriations bill.
Resource Advisory Committees are responsible for reviewing and recommending projects for implementation under Title II of the Secure Rural Schools Act. By law, the four-year term, fifteen-member committee is composed of a wide representation of national forest interests.